| Hardangerjøkulen | |
| Other Name: | Hallingjøkulen Hardanger Glacier |
| Map: | Vestland#Norway |
| Location: | Vestland, Norway |
| Coordinates: | 60.5333°N 32°W |
| Area: | 73km2 |
Hardangerjøkulen (English: Hardanger Glacier)[1] [2] [3] is the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Eidfjord and Ulvik in Vestland county. It is located about northeast of the village of Eidfjord, about south of the village of Finse, and about west of the village of Haugastøl.
Hardangerjøkulen's highest point is 1863m (6,112feet) above sea level, and is the highest point in Hordaland county. Its lowest point is 1050m (3,450feet) above sea level. The thickest measurement of the glacier was thick, but it has been getting thinner during the 20th century.[4]
The glacier can be easily accessed by skis from the north in the winter, from the village of Finse, which is only accessible by stopping at Finse Station on the Bergen Line railway.
The 1980 movie Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back used Hardangerjøkulen as a filming location, for scenes of the ice planet Hoth, although in the battle scene, miniatures were used on a set that used microscopic glass bubbles and baking soda to mimic the snowy territory.[5]